


The Foolish Ones

by ohmypuckinggod



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Captain America - All Media Types, Green Arrow (Comics)
Genre: Bisexual Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Crime Fighting, Eventual Romance, F/M, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Violence, POV Bucky Barnes, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Character Death, Past Torture, Playboy Bucky, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rich Bucky, Slow Build, Superhero Bucky, Vigilante
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-27
Updated: 2014-11-27
Packaged: 2018-02-27 05:29:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2680802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmypuckinggod/pseuds/ohmypuckinggod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky Barnes was a jerk before the shipwreck that killed his billionaire father and stranded him on an island where he was kept hostage for five years.  He returns home and is greeted by a family he no longer recognizes.  He decides he has to do something about the corruption in the city that has sprung up in his absence and to right the wrongs his father committed on his way to the top.  He adopts the identity of the Green Arrow, a hooded vigilante that terrorizes the city’s criminals and the rich businessmen making dirty deals to get what they want.  Bucky wants to help the growing poor and homeless population of the city by giving money and resources back to them and stealing from the privileged; a modern Robin Hood.</p>
<p>His mother hires a bodyguard upon his return, Steve Rogers, an ex-military who served in the war in Afghanistan for a time.  Bucky is influenced by Steve more than he thought he'd be, and his initial wish to simply right the wrongs of his father becomes a wish to fight all criminals who wish to harm the less fortunate.  With the help of Steve Rogers, Bucky might actually succeed in curing the city of its worst criminals, and giving back to the poor.</p>
<p>Based off of the TV show “Arrow”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Foolish Ones

The sounds of the helicopter blades had almost brought tears to my eyes. Almost.

Too bad I hadn’t cried since the third day I was stranded there. And that was years ago. I didn’t even know how many, just that it hadn’t been long enough for the pain to fade. I still felt it after all this time, most likely because I’d never really gotten the chance to grieve.

But I didn’t care about that now. I was home, whatever that meant. I wasn’t sure how much like a home it would feel without my father. And anyhow, I wasn’t sure anywhere could feel like home after years deserted on that island. After the cold hard ground had been my bed for so long, sleeping on an actual mattress was a foreign concept to me.

Brushing my teeth. Strange. Taking a shower. Stranger. Eating a three course meal. Forget it.

Even the clothes I wore now clung to me in ways I’d forgotten. I almost felt trapped, except this way, it was without the actual chains and cages.

I sat on my old bed, looking around the room that I remembered. The television was playing quietly in my peripheral vision, but I could still hear it as loud as if it were on full volume. Everything sounded too loud in the city.

“James ‘Bucky’ Barnes, son of the late billionaire Henry Barnes, was discovered alive two days ago on an island in the North China Sea. After his family’s yacht sunk in a storm five years ago, Bucky and Henry Barnes, along with the rest of the guests aboard the yacht, were presumed dead, until a signal was detected coming from a database claiming to have Barnes hostage. Bucky was held captive by drug smugglers on the island demanding a fifteen million dollar ransom, which we now know was being run by the ruthless, international crime lord going by the name ‘China White.’ The Barnes family paid the ransom in full, and Bucky Barnes has returned to his former home after a brief hospital visit upon his arrival.

“St. Helen’s Hospital was refusing to release specifics about Bucky’s condition, but an anonymous source contacted our station just minutes ago with a medical report from Barnes’ evaluation. Barnes’ report listed multiple broken bones that had not healed properly due to his situation, but that the doctors saw no harm in leaving alone. In addition, Bucky was described as suffering from scarred tissue from lacerations covering his body, most of which the doctors place at around three weeks old, the oldest being approximately two years old and the newest a mere week old. Our experts correspond these injuries with that of torture, leaving us to wonder what really happened to former playboy Bucky Barnes in the five years he was stranded on that island. We’ll be interested to see if he returns to his old partying antics, or if a very different Barnes has returned to our city. Despite the recovery of Barnes, his father, Henry, is still presumed dead as we await an official report from Bucky himself. Tune in tomorrow for the live press conference. Keeping you informed, I’ve been Stacy Keller…”

I shut off the television, silencing the woman’s voice. Everything she’d said was true, but it wouldn’t make anyone understand what I’d gone through. They’d all still look at me the same way they had five years ago. Like a pathetic dropout with no respect for himself or others. The only difference was that now they would pity me too.

Five years. I couldn’t believe it. Rebecca had looked so different than I remembered. She’d grown up so much since I’d been gone. Seventeen now. She would always be my baby sister though, no matter how old she got. She’d cried when she saw me and I’d wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. Not anymore.

“Bucky! Come down and eat something!” I heard my mom’s voice calling from the stairs.

I glanced down at my chest. The scars criss-crossing down my abdomen were like a map; each one led to the next to tell a story of what I’d experienced on that island. But I wouldn’t let my mother see. It would hurt her so much.

“Coming,” I called softly.

I threw on one of my old t-shirts, which now fit me rather tightly. I would need to go get new clothes soon, especially with the press conference tomorrow. A new suit.

I gave a small huff of incredulity. I never thought I’d think those words again, a new suit.

I took my time walking down the stairs, listening to the voices that floated out from the dining room. My bare feet reveled in the soft carpet covering each stair, like I’d never felt anything so soft in my life.

I’d always thought this house was extravagant, but now it just seemed criminal. How could we, of all people, own such lavish things when there were others out there without homes or food? How could we, after what my family had done to get to where we were now?

Conversation stopped as I appeared in the doorway and my family looked to me as I entered. But it wasn’t just my mom and sister. He was there, too.

He had aged five years, but there was no mistaking him. The same brown hair and dark eyes that I couldn’t have forgotten in a million years.

“Dex,” his name escaped my mouth in a rush as he stood up from his chair.  
We both lunged and caught each other in an embrace that I hadn’t known I’d missed so much until that moment.

“God, I missed you,” he breathed next to my ear, his hands tightening in my shirt.

I suddenly didn’t feel like five years had passed anymore. Of course, Dex looked different from when I’d last seen him, but hugging him like this, I felt like I was a teenager again. Like nothing had changed.

And maybe nothing had. With me and him, at least. I wanted to think that.

“I missed you, too. So much,” I let myself hold him only a second longer before reluctantly letting him go.

I’d almost forgotten that there were others in the room.

Dex kept one hand on my arm when he pulled away, probably to reassure himself that I was really here. His gaze lingered for only moment before he tore it away to look around the table.

“You’ve gotta be hungry, man. Let’s eat.”

I sat down next to him, but not before noticing the chair left vacant next to my mom. It was where my dad had sat, but it made me wonder if we were expecting someone else. I met my mother’s eyes, but she looked away quickly, as if she knew what my questioning expression meant.

“So, what have I missed?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light.

I glanced at Rebecca, who looked like this was the last thing she wanted to talk about. The only person who was acting as if nothing was out of the ordinary was Dex.

“Well, in case you were wondering, everyone cried at your funeral. It was depressing actually, and all the speeches were really sappy, even though I’m convinced half the people there had never even spoken to you,” Dex rolled his eyes, making me laugh.

“Did you cry?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Like a baby. Also, we’ve gotta get you a twitter and there’s this thing called DVR, which is how we’re catching you up on Lost.”

Only Dex would’ve brought up a show about people stranded on an island after what I’d been through. It was refreshing to have someone not tiptoeing around me. I didn’t know more than half of what he was talking about, but it made me laugh anyway. God, I’d missed him so much.

“Dexter, I don’t really think it’s appropriate to talk about...that...after what happened,” my mom was frowning at Dex disapprovingly.

She’d never really liked him, no matter how many times I’d brought him around the house.

“What? You mean, Lost? Mrs. Barnes, he’s never gonna get over what happened to him if he doesn’t start joking about it now,” Dex shrugged his shoulders.

I knew he was right, but I didn’t know if I was ready for that yet. I knew other people weren’t going to be as sensitive as my mom, but I also knew that they probably wouldn’t be as dismissive as Dex. Hardly anything phased him. It was part of what had made us such good friends.

I gave him a grateful look, but my mom didn’t look pleased at all. The rest of dinner was slightly tense, but I’d tried to move past it by asking my sister about school and what she was interested in. I learned two things from our conversation. One, she was truly growing up to be a smart, young woman. Two, I hadn’t exactly been the best role model. She told me about biology and her interest in medical science, but when I asked her about college, her only response had been that she didn’t see what good it would do her. That she’d probably never succeed anyways. When I’d attempted to argue, she just retaliated by using my own record against me. And she was right. I couldn’t exactly argue about her future with her when I’d dropped out of college myself.

I walked up the stairs with Dex alongside me, his constant babbling keeping my thoughts at bay and bringing me back to a time when my biggest worries were what party I’d be attending that night.

“Come on, Buck. You’re telling me that you just got back from being held hostage for five years on an island in the middle of nowhere and you don’t feel like partying?”

“I’m telling you that I just got back from being held hostage on an island in the middle of nowhere, and I’m a little too overwhelmed at the moment to go to a club,” Dex huffed at my response, but it made me smile that he hadn’t changed so much since I’d last seen him. “And anyway, I wasn’t held hostage for five years.”

Dex looked at me sharply, his gaze inquisitive. I kept my eyes straight ahead, shouldering my door open and collapsing backward onto my bed. Dex sat down slowly beside me, the sheets pulling slightly from under my back. I could feel his eyes boring into me, but I shut it out.

“Buck…” Dex’s voice was quiet, quieter than I’d ever heard it. “Bucky...what really happened over there?”

I was silent for a while, until I felt Dex’s fingertips skim over my arm.

“I don’t think I can talk about it yet, Dex.”

He didn’t answer immediately, instead just lying back next to me, our shoulders pressing against one another.

“You do know you have a press conference tomorrow,” Dex still spoke quietly, like we were sharing a secret. “...and that they’re kind of expecting you to tell them what happened.”

“I know….I’m thinking about ditching.”

Dex laughed softly.

“Now, that’s the Bucky I remember.”

He sat back up, glancing around my room.

“You know, I came back here once after they...found the yacht,” his voice cracked.

I looked at him for the first time since dinner. He swallowed, his adam’s apple bobbing. He looked down at me, and I propped myself up on my elbows to see him more clearly. His eyes looked glassy, like he was remembering that day.

“You’re sister...she, uh, called me to tell me what had happened. That they weren’t sure...but they suspected...there’d been no survivors.”

I blinked rapidly. I felt like it was my fault, even though there was nothing I could’ve done to change what had happened.

“Anyway, I came here and just sorta...fell asleep on your bed,” Dex gave a humorless laugh, shaking his head. “It’s sort of extremely embarrassing, but everything in here just reminded me of you, I guess.”

Dex pulled his legs into his chest and rested his chin on his knees. In this position, he didn’t look so much like a twenty-seven year old. I placed my hand gently on his back, rubbing slightly to get his attention. He tilted his head so he could look at me.

“I’m here now. I can remind you of me. Even when all of this wears off and you get tired of me,” I smiled and winked at him.

He gave a small laugh and shut his eyes momentarily.

“That could never happen, Buck.”

He opened his eyes again, and for a moment, we just stared at one another, my hand still rubbing his back slowly. Dex lied down again, this time turning his body to face mine. I held my breath as he placed his hand against the side of my neck. Everywhere he was touching me felt like it was burning. I hadn’t been this close to anyone since the shipwreck, and I was just beginning to realize this fact when Dex leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I took a deep breath through my nose and kissed him back, pulling him closer with the hand I still had against his back. I slowly leaned all the way back against the bed so I could weave my other hand into his hair.

I’d missed this so much; being this close to someone. I’d missed him. Everything with him was so familiar, I felt at home for the first time since I’d returned. I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt Dex’s hand start to slide under my shirt. He couldn’t see my scars. No one could.

I broke away from him quickly, grabbing his hand and pushing it away from my stomach. He looked confused for a second, before clearing his expression.

“I’m sorry, I’m-” Dex cut me off.

“It’s alright, Buck. Don’t worry,” he smiled and laid back down on his back next to me, staring up at the ceiling with a small smile on his face like I’d done nothing out of the ordinary.

I’d never not let him touch me before. Our relationship had always been a physical one, so I wondered now why he didn’t take offense. Maybe he was just happy enough that I was back that he didn’t care what we did together.

“Thank you, Dex.”

He turned his head to look at me, our faces still close.

“What for?” our voices were quiet again.

“For still treating me like your best friend.”

“You still are my best friend, you idiot,” Dex rolled his eyes.

“I just mean...a lot’s changed in five years, but I can always count on you, right?”

Dex was still smiling slightly, but he furrowed his brows at my questioning tone.

“What are you babbling on about, Buck?”

I turned onto my side to face him, propping myself up on one arm so I could look down at him.

“I’m not-no I have no clue-what I’m going to do with my life. I might have changed a lot these last five years, but I don’t exactly have a history of making wise choices. I just want to know that you won’t give up on me. Even after my family abandons all hope for me, you won’t, will you?”

Dex never took his eyes off of me.

“The fact that you’re even asking me that offends me, Buck,” Dex raised his eyebrows and I nudged him exasperatedly. “You do remember that I was right there with you making those unwise choices, right?”

Dex smiled and I laughed, nodding.

“I’m pretty sure most of those choices were my ideas, in fact,” Dex pointed out.  
I shook my head affectionately, and collapsed down next to him. He was right. We lied in silence a little longer, before Dex spoke again.

“You can count on me, Buck.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. I’d needed to hear him speak those words. Even if I already knew they were true.

Dex stayed late that night, catching me up on everything I’d missed, while simultaneously making me feel like I’d missed nothing at all. It was strangely comforting, but I knew that it was a short-lived comfort. I had a job to do. And I knew that I needed to get down to work if I was gonna make a difference in this city. My father’s death wouldn’t be in vain.


End file.
